diff --git a/lib/Db/Acl.php b/lib/Db/Acl.php
index 634eb436b..ea8570c9f 100644
--- a/lib/Db/Acl.php
+++ b/lib/Db/Acl.php
@@ -5,20 +5,20 @@
  * @author Julius Härtl <jus@bitgrid.net>
  *
  * @license GNU AGPL version 3 or any later version
- *  
+ *
  *  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *  it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
  *  published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
  *  License, or (at your option) any later version.
- *  
+ *
  *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
  *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
  *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
  *  GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
- *  
+ *
  *  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
  *  along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- *  
+ *
  */
 
 namespace OCA\Deck\Db;
@@ -30,52 +30,77 @@ class Acl extends Entity implements \JsonSerializable {
 	const PERMISSION_SHARE = 2;
 	const PERMISSION_MANAGE = 3;
 
-    public $id;
-    protected $participant;
-    protected $type;
-    protected $boardId;
-    protected $permissionEdit;
-    protected $permissionShare;
-    protected $permissionManage;
-    protected $owner;
+	const PERMISSION_TYPE_USER = 0;
+	const PERMISSION_TYPE_GROUP = 1;
 
-    public function __construct() {
-        $this->addType('id','integer');
-        $this->addType('boardId','integer');
-        $this->addType('permissionEdit', 'boolean');
-        $this->addType('permissionShare', 'boolean');
-        $this->addType('permissionManage', 'boolean');
-        $this->addType('owner', 'boolean');
-        $this->addRelation('owner');
+	public $id;
+	protected $participant;
+	protected $type;
+	protected $boardId;
+	protected $permissionEdit = false;
+	protected $permissionShare = false;
+	protected $permissionManage = false;
+	protected $owner = false;
+
+	public function __construct() {
+		$this->addType('id', 'integer');
+		$this->addType('boardId', 'integer');
+		$this->addType('permissionEdit', 'boolean');
+		$this->addType('permissionShare', 'boolean');
+		$this->addType('permissionManage', 'boolean');
+		$this->addType('owner', 'boolean');
+		$this->addType('type', 'integer');
+		$this->addRelation('owner');
 		$this->setPermissionEdit(false);
 		$this->setPermissionShare(false);
 		$this->setPermissionManage(false);
-    }
+	}
 
-    public function getPermission($permission) {
-        switch ($permission) {
-            case Acl::PERMISSION_READ:
-                return true;
-            case Acl::PERMISSION_EDIT:
-                return $this->getPermissionEdit();
-            case Acl::PERMISSION_SHARE:
-                return $this->getPermissionShare();
-            case Acl::PERMISSION_MANAGE:
-                return $this->getPermissionManage();
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
+	public function getPermission($permission) {
+		switch ($permission) {
+			case Acl::PERMISSION_READ:
+				return true;
+			case Acl::PERMISSION_EDIT:
+				return $this->getPermissionEdit();
+			case Acl::PERMISSION_SHARE:
+				return $this->getPermissionShare();
+			case Acl::PERMISSION_MANAGE:
+				return $this->getPermissionManage();
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
 
-    public function jsonSerialize() {
-        return [
-            'id' => $this->id,
-            'participant' => $this->participant,
-            'type' => $this->type,
-            'boardId' => $this->boardId,
-            'permissionEdit' => $this->permissionEdit,
-            'permissionShare' => $this->permissionShare,
-            'permissionManage' => $this->permissionManage,
-            'owner' => $this->owner
-        ];
-    }
+	public function jsonSerialize() {
+		return [
+			'id' => $this->id,
+			'participant' => $this->participant,
+			'type' => $this->getType(),
+			'boardId' => $this->boardId,
+			'permissionEdit' => $this->getPermissionEdit(),
+			'permissionShare' => $this->getPermissionShare(),
+			'permissionManage' => $this->getPermissionManage(),
+			'owner' => $this->getOwner()
+		];
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * FIXME: migrate other code to const PERMISSION_TYPE_ instead of strings
+	 * iirc js uses those strings as well
+	 */
+	public function getType() {
+		if ($this->type === Acl::PERMISSION_TYPE_GROUP) {
+			return 'group';
+		}
+		return 'user';
+	}
+
+	public function setType($type) {
+		if ($type === 'group') {
+			$typeInt = Acl::PERMISSION_TYPE_GROUP;
+		} else {
+			$typeInt = Acl::PERMISSION_TYPE_USER;
+		}
+		$this->markFieldUpdated('type');
+		$this->type = $typeInt;
+	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/unit/Db/AclTest.php b/tests/unit/Db/AclTest.php
index 200cb208e..8641a0500 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Db/AclTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Db/AclTest.php
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 		$acl->setParticipant("admin");
 		$acl->setType("user");
 		$acl->setBoardId(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionEdit(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionShare(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionManage(1);
+		$acl->setPermissionEdit(true);
+		$acl->setPermissionShare(true);
+		$acl->setPermissionManage(true);
 		return $acl;
 	}
 	private function createAclGroup() {
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 		$acl->setParticipant("administrators");
 		$acl->setType("group");
 		$acl->setBoardId(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionEdit(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionShare(1);
-		$acl->setPermissionManage(1);
+		$acl->setPermissionEdit(true);
+		$acl->setPermissionShare(true);
+		$acl->setPermissionManage(true);
 		return $acl;
 	}
 	public function testJsonSerialize() {
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 			'participant' => 'admin',
 			'type' => 'user',
 			'boardId' => 1,
-			'permissionEdit' => 1,
-			'permissionShare' => 1,
-			'permissionManage' => 1,
-			'owner' => 0
+			'permissionEdit' => true,
+			'permissionShare' => true,
+			'permissionManage' => true,
+			'owner' => false
 		], $acl->jsonSerialize());
 		$acl = $this->createAclGroup();
 		$this->assertEquals([
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 			'participant' => 'administrators',
 			'type' => 'group',
 			'boardId' => 1,
-			'permissionEdit' => 1,
-			'permissionShare' => 1,
-			'permissionManage' => 1,
-			'owner' => 0
+			'permissionEdit' => true,
+			'permissionShare' => true,
+			'permissionManage' => true,
+			'owner' => false
 		], $acl->jsonSerialize());
 	}
 	public function testSetOwner() {
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 			'participant' => 'admin',
 			'type' => 'user',
 			'boardId' => 1,
-			'permissionEdit' => 1,
-			'permissionShare' => 1,
-			'permissionManage' => 1,
-			'owner' => 1
+			'permissionEdit' => true,
+			'permissionShare' => true,
+			'permissionManage' => true,
+			'owner' => true
 		], $acl->jsonSerialize());
 	}
 
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ class AclTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 		$this->assertEquals(true, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_EDIT));
 		$this->assertEquals(true, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_MANAGE));
 		$this->assertEquals(true, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_SHARE));
-		$acl->setPermissionEdit(0);
-		$acl->setPermissionShare(0);
-		$acl->setPermissionManage(0);
+		$acl->setPermissionEdit(false);
+		$acl->setPermissionShare(false);
+		$acl->setPermissionManage(false);
 		$this->assertEquals(true, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_READ));
 		$this->assertEquals(false, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_EDIT));
 		$this->assertEquals(false, $acl->getPermission(Acl::PERMISSION_MANAGE));